A Closer Look at Perfection: Lexus (2009)

Other luxury car makers boast of a long and illustrious history or perhaps a successful racing pedigree, but no other luxury automobile maker can really say that it ‘walks the walk’ and it ‘talks the talk’ as Lexus does.

Their story started back in 1983 when then Toyota Chairman Eiji Toyoda wanted to come out with a luxury car that can challenge the best. In 1989, his dream became a reality when the first LS400 broke cover at the North American International Auto Show. Immediately it became a force to be reckoned with as they earned praises for build quality, quietness, comfort and value. It shocked the German marques and caused them re-think that badge isn’t all that mattered. People wanted a great product, and Lexus simply delivered.

Since then, Lexus has grown to become the best-selling luxury marque in the United States and the fourth-largest in the world by volume. Lexus offered an entry to the prestigious luxury car market from those upgrading from mass market vehicles. Of course, Lexus’s reputation for excellent quality, reliability and customer service served as equal attraction.

It took a further twenty years for Lexus to finally land in the Philippines (officially) with its impressive and imposing 10,500 square-meter showroom at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. This is certainly one of the most awaited launches of this year and now we take a closer examination at Lexus’s Philippine line-up, or what we endearingly call, the ‘Lexus 5’.

Lexus IS 300 (P 2,938,000)
Rivals: BMW 3 Series / Mercedes-Benz C-Class

The sharp and taut looking IS 300 is Lexus’s answer to those aspiring for a compact, fun-to-drive rear-wheel drive sedan. The second-generation IS model (the first one having the controversial chrono-inspired instrument panel), is second Lexus model to wear the ‘L-finesse’ design philosophy. As such, the Lexus features a sleek body shell with a coupe-like roofline and an arrowhead motif on several areas of its sheet metal.

There’s only one engine and it’s a 3.0-liter (3GR-FE) DOHC 24-valve V6 with 228 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque mated to a six-speed automatic. Those searching Lexus’s global line-up will be quick to note its absence in the North American, European and Japanese markets—and this is because the IS 300 is only available for select markets (the Philippines included). The reason is that both the IS 250 and IS 350 use direct-injection gasoline engines, which aren’t compatible with local grade fuels.

Aside from its rear-wheel drive architecture, Lexus engineers gifted the IS 300 with mixed ratio tires (225/45 R 17 at the front and 245/45 R 17 tires at the back) for better off-the-line grip and turn into corners. In addition, a sport-tuned electric power steering system and vehicle stability assist are standard.

Inside, the IS 300 is covered in high-quality leather and aluminum trim. Like all other Lexus models, the IS comes with the keyless Smart Key system as well as a multi-disc CD player (no auxiliary or Apple iPod compatibility) with 13 speakers and front electric seats with memory. Other features include front and rear proximity sensors, automatic HID headlamps with Toyota / Lexus’s Intelligent Lighting System (ILS) and rain-sensing wipers.

Lexus ES 350 (P 3,678,000)
Rivals: Volvo S80 / Audi A6 FWD

A slippery Cd of 0.28 makes the ES 350 one of the quietest in the Lexus bunch (that’s not to say the rest of the line-up has good NVH). It should be Lexus’s entry-level model, but the locally available ES has a much larger engine and a bigger mass hence the more expensive price tag. However, it must be noted that underneath: it’s a Toyota Camry.

If the front-wheel drive layout isn’t a dead giveaway already, then its similar girth, shared mechanicals (the 2GR-FE engine and 6-speed automatic) and insane amounts of torque steer should be. With 272 horsepower and 344 Nm of torque from its V6, it easily overpowers the similarly priced Volvo S80 and Audi A6 (non-Quattro models, of course).

Inside, the ES 350 boasts of a much larger cabin with more room for both front and aft passengers. Aside from that though, the ES 350 is, personally, the most disappointing line. There’s less toys to play with (no electric back seats ala Camry) plus just eight speakers…the least among the Lexus 5!

Lexus GS 460 (P 5,328,000)
Rivals: BMW 5 Series / Mercedes-Benz E-Class

A model that once started with Toyota Crown running gear turned to become one of the first ‘independent’ Lexus models, which aren’t based on a Japanese market Toyota. The angular third-generation model is the first one that debuted the ‘L-finesse’ design with its angular, arrow-shaped profile and coupe-like roofline. This rear-wheel drive car also caused big headaches for the German marques as it was continually designed and improved to rival the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Though priced in the same bracket as its German rivals, the sole Philippine market GS—the GS 460 has one big trump card up its sleeve: a 4.6-liter (1UR-FE) DOHC 32-valve V8 with 322 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque. The standard V8 engine should easily satisfy power-hungry CEOs and executives who desire a bit more punch than the ‘puny’ 6-cylinder engines that both BMW and Mercedes-Benz offer. This is also the most affordable Lexus to be equipped with an 8-speed automatic resulting in an impressive 7.22 km/L quoted figure for city driving.

The use of Double Wishbones upfront and Multi-Links at the back (with adaptive variable suspension) should result in a compliant ride and competent handling when pushed. Like the LS line, the drive systems of the GS 460 are integrated into a singular vehicle dynamics system which Lexus calls VDIM or Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management. The GS 460 also comes with standard 245/40 R 18 tires.

Besides offering spirited handling, there’s much more to the GS with its luxurious cabin. Genuine wood accents and high-grade leather line every inch of the cabin, while an impressive touch-screen system makes for easy access to the vehicle’s controls. A Bluetooth hands-free phone system is standard as well as a rear back-up camera and the truly impressive 14-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system.

Initial GS models had body hardware and integrity issues (the sole cause of Lexus’s drop in the yearly Consumer Reports survey). However, Lexus engineers have solved the problem and the GS 460 is now considered one the marque’s best.

Lexus LX 570 (P 7,218,000)
Rivals: Audi Q7 / BMW X5 / Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

Among all the Lexus cars locally available, the Lexus LX 570 faces the stiffest competition with the likes of the Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. And that’s not even including Mercedes’s own ML-Class, Land Rover Discovery3 as well as Porsche’s Cayenne. The main advantage of the Lexus though is its go-anywhere, do-anything ability and that’s thanks to its donor car, the Toyota Land Cruiser.

However, their similarities end there. The much more opulent interior (the wood paneling is made of Bubinga wood—a type of African rosewood) and much more intuitive features are Lexus exclusives. Also, the LX features the most powerful and largest engine put in a Toyota or a Lexus ever: a 383 horsepower, 546 Nm monster with 5.7-liters of displacement and eight cylinders. Despite the use of Dual VVT-I, electronic intake valve timing and a 6-speed automatic, Lexus quotes the LX 570 to consume 5.10 km/L in city driving (ouch!). But that’s probably the only criticism you can throw at it.

Setting the LX apart from its Land Cruiser cousin, the highly capable suspension system features adaptive variable suspension but this time, with added high control function. The fat 285/60 R 18 tires assure grip on all four corners while front and rear proximity sensors with an intuitive park assist system (integrating the rear back-up camera) should assure a ding-free ownership.

Aside from the aforementioned Bubinga wood trimmings and leather-clad seats, the LX 570 also features a four-zone climate control system (one of only 2 Lexus models to do so), a power folding second and third row and special acoustic glass on the windshield. For entertainment, the LX 570 features only the best: a 19-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system with DVD playback capability as well as a rear seat entertainment package.

Lexus LS 460 (P 7,268,000 / P 8,238,000)
Rivals: BMW 7 Series / Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The original Lexus model and the one that paved the way for Germans to re-think their product strategy, the LS is still a truly world-beating sedan when it comes to creature comfort and an impressive array of standard features. It’s the first Lexus model to reach a fourth-generation model change and the first to be offered in two wheelbases (the Philippines only get the ‘L’ or Long wheelbase model).

Once designed to battle the likes of the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the LS has grown in both size and sophistication and takes on the world’s best: the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Despite being no easy task, Lexus engineers focused on making the LS a benchmark in customer comfort and convenience rather than as a vehicle for ‘why-tech’. There are two models available, a 5-seater “base” model and a 4-seater model with the impressive “Ottoman” rear seats.

Both variants offer a lot of goods including the use of acoustic glass in all greenhouse areas (sans the rear glass), integrated aircon vents in the seats and a 19-speaker Mark Levinson surround sound system shared with the LX 570. Like the Germans, the LS also features soft-closing doors and an automated trunk closing mechanism. On top of this, the 4-seater Ottoman model has more space for the rear occupants. Perfect since the rear seats are fully reclineable complete with footrests! A built-in rear seat massager, cooler box and rear seat entertainment package complete the changes.

Like the GS, the LS is powered by a 4.6-liter DOHC V8 with exactly the same power outputs. This makes this the full-sized luxury sedan in a class of its own when compared with the German cars which only offer 6-cylinder models at this price.

The LS 460 was judged “World Car of the Year” by international jurors in 2007.

With today’s global financial crisis, the entrance of the Lexus brand in the Philippines has come at the worse possible time. Just last year, BMW Philippines reported a sales decline of 23 percent. And that’s not even accounting that the European brands are much more established with more reach (all of them have at least two dealerships, while Lexus only has one), the premium pricing approach as well as the single variant per product strategy. But if Lexus pursues customer satisfaction and excellent after sales service, just like what they did in the North American market then it surely become a force to be reckoned with.

By Ulysses Ang